The service information presented for the Royal Borough of Kinston upon Thames was last updated in June 2008. Information was verified by borough contacts. The authors of this website are not responsible for any errors or omissions. Data relating to targets and performance is taken from Defra's Environment statistics.

Dry Recycling

Since 1995 the Royal Borough of Kingston has provided a fortnightly door-to-door recycling collection for:

• cardboard (collection in Berrylands Trial and 1,252 households throughout the borough)
• glass bottle and jars
• mixed cans
• paper (not shredded)
• plastic bottles
• textiles
• shoes

The collection service now covers 63,288 households and during October 2004 glass bottles and jars were added to the list of materials accepted. Residents have received a green box to place all recyclables in, on collection day the materials are sorted, by the council’s contractor SITA, at the kerbside into a special vehicle with separate compartments.

Organics

A weekly collection of green garden waste is available to 45,000 households on an opt-in basis. Residents wishing to participate need to purchase a reusable jute bag (£35 per bag and reduced rate of £20 residents in receipt of State Retirement Pension and/or are registered disabled). The green plastic bags are no longer on sale or collected.

2,400 households receive a food waste collection on a weekly basis.  5 litre kitchen caddies and 25 litre kerbside containers are used.  Meat is included in this service.

For information on how to participate, click here!

Dry Recycling

7,000 flats can take paper to 1100 litre blue bins for recycling. 1,400 can also recycle cardboard.

6,000 flats also receive a weekly door-to-door collection. Residents have been provided with orange sacks for the co-mingled (mixed together) collection of:

• glass bottles and jars
• mixed cans
• paper
• plastic bottles

Organics

Food waste is collected from 6,000 flats. Residents are provided with a 25 litre kitchen caddy for all food waste, including meat. This is collected on a weekly basis.

For information on how to participate, click here!

Household Reuse and Recycling Centre

There is one Reuse and Recycling Centre in Kingston:  

Villiers Road Recycling Centre
Kingston-Upon-Thames
KT1 3BE

Click here for a list of materials accepted at the RRC.  

Bring  Sites

The borough operates 36 bring sites for:

• cardboard
• glass bottles and jars
• mixed cans
• mixed paper
• plastic bottles
• textiles and shoes
• tetra pak

These are collected separately in 1100 litre bins (not all materials at all sites).

For information on how to participate, click here!

Home Composting

Kingston has run subsidised home composter offers in the past.  5,679 composters have been provided to residents since 1998. There is no offer at the moment.

Kingston is working in partnership with London Community Recycling Network to recruit a network of volunteer Master Composters. The Master Composters provide free and friendly advice to any residents interested in learning more about home composting. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer 'Master Composter' or would like to find out more about the scheme visit: www.lcrn.org.uk/projects/compost_network.

Nappy Waste

The Royal Borough of Kingston encourages the borough’s parents to use Real Nappies as an alternative to disposable.  The Kingston and Merton Real Nappy Network (KMRNN) can provide residents with advice. For more information e-mail kingstonmertonrnn@yahoo.co.uk or call 07949628148.

Nappachino mornings are also held.

Junk Mail Reduction

Kingston promotes the use of the Mail Prefrence Service, which enables residents to sign up to reduce the amount of unwanted mail they receive: www.mpsonline.org.uk. The Council has also distributed 'No Junk Mail' stickers.

Waste Aware Shopping

Kingston  promotes “Smart Shopping” as a way of reducing waste and saving money. See http://www.kingston.gov.uk/browse/environment/rubbish_waste_and_recycling/reducing_reusing_and_recycling/otherways.htm for useful waste minimisation tips. The Council has also distributed reusable cloth shopping bags.

For information on how to participate, click here!

Bulky Waste

Residents can take white goods such as fridges and washing machines to the Reuse and Recycling Centre. The council will also collect items of bulky waste from residents home.  A charge applies, please call 020 8547 5560 for details.

The council offers a special collection for items of furniture. Alternatively, Community Furniture, led by Kingston Voluntary Action, collects unwanted, reusable items of household furniture from Kingston residents. The furniture is then distributed to individuals and families referred to the project by various agencies working for the borough. The project is funded by CRED, Bridge House Estate Trust, the European Social Fund and the Royal Borough of Kingston. For more information email furnitureproject@kva.org.uk or call 020 8942 5500.

Litter

Under Kingston’s street recycling project, 117 new street litter recycling bins have been positioned at pavement locations across the borough. The bins collect newspapers and magazines, cans and plastic bottles separately; the most common recyclable materials found in normal street litter bins.

Leaf fall is also collected and sent for composting.

Schools Recycling

The council supplies paper and cardboard banks to schools in the borough.

Residual Waste

Residual waste is collected weekly from the kerbside using refuse sacks.

Find out more about recycling in your area Visit Recycle for London
Compare Kingston's recycling services with the rest of London	View the London Matrix
Find out more about the Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames

Contact Kingston  Address: Guildhall 2 High Street Kingston upon Thames, KT1 1EU Tel: 020  8547 5560 (Environmental Customer Services) 020 8547 5537 (Special Waste Collection) Email: environment@rbk.kingston.gov.uk